


A Rather Peculiar Number

by Shuufleur



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Person of Interest (TV), Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
Genre: Crossover, Gen, Post-Spider-Man: Homecoming, crossovering treat
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-13
Updated: 2017-10-13
Packaged: 2019-01-16 22:34:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,844
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12351933
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shuufleur/pseuds/Shuufleur
Summary: Victim or perpetrator, John will find out in which category Peter Parker fits in.





	A Rather Peculiar Number

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Meatball42](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Meatball42/gifts).



> This is a treat for Meatball42, for the Crossovering Exchange 2017. 
> 
> I saw your request and I couldn't resist. It is just awesome.  
> I'm a bit on a Spider-Man: Homecoming kick lately, so apologies if you prefered something else. I just thought it'd fit part of your prompt.
> 
> I hope you enjoy it!

John raised his hands and looked through the binoculars.

“Finch, are you sure this is our number?”

“Absolutely, Mr. Reese. Peter Parker is a 15 year old attending Midtown High. He lives with his aunt, May Parker in Queens. His parents died when he was six, and his uncle died a year ago.”

“Not an easy life.” John commented. 

He sympathised, losing someone close to you was already difficult, but losing three? It might lead someone to do something rash. He was intimately aware of that.

“Yes. But he’s also a bright kid. He is in the debate team, and until six months ago, he was also in the school band,” Finch paused, probably reading the information he found. “He also has an internship at Stark Industries.”

“You sound surprised.” John remarked. 

“That’s because I am. He has an internship with Tony Stark himself.”

Impressive, indeed.

“Could this be the reason?”

“Why, that the kid kills someone or is killed because of Stark?”

“Yes.”

“Probably. Maybe. Did you find something relevant to our number?”

“Nothing you already know. He has a regular schedule.”

John stopped looking because the kid was just doing his homework now.

“He goes to school at 8, comes back at 5 after the debate team, stay home until his aunt comes back with takeout food. Sometimes friends of his visit, Ned Leeds and Michelle Jones. Both high schoolers. And he always switches off his light at 9:30 pm.”

“9:30? Isn’t that a little bit early for a teenager?” Finch asked. 

“It is, but I don’t see him leave the building, and I’m pretty sure he cannot jump from the 5th floor.”

Just as he predicted, Peter Parker switched off the light in his room at 9:30 pm. John started then to gather his gear. There was nothing else he could do now. 

“I think I’m done for tonight. I’m almost sure he won’t get in trouble at home.”

“Hopefully. Good night Mr. Reese.”

The telltale click of the line being cut off resonated and John sighed. He had been surveilling Peter Parker for about three days, and he still hadn’t found anything that could be an interesting lead. The kid seemed to be living the most conventional life. Before leaving where he was posted, John checked his phone. He frowned when he saw the connection had once again failed. Stark must have given him a secure phone, but for what exactly? Even if he was an intern at Stark Industries, having an unhackable phone was a bit superfluous.

That was something he needed to look into. There might be a link between this and the Machine giving Parker’s number.

*

“Finch, I talked to May Parker, Parker’s aunt, and I think she’s hiding something.”

“What is it?” 

“I pretended to be one of the teachers of the Debate team and told her that her nephew didn’t come the last few sessions. She didn’t seem surprised, but she was also keeping something from me, as if she knew why her nephew didn't go.”

“Maybe something is happening at school.”

“You might be onto something,” John said. “I think the Parker kid is being bullied at school, from what I’ve seen.”

“So it might be revenge or bullying going too far.” Finch mused. “Just in case, stay close Mr. Reese. We haven't found anything substantial yet, and it's been a few days. We may have missed something.”

“OK. Oh, and Finch, I couldn't crack the telephone.”

“Again?” Finch’s incredulous voice came. “Stark must have done something. Alright, it’s fine. What would a 15 year old do except the usual shenanigans?”

 

John couldn’t agree more. Parker didn't even do the usual shenanigans. He was actually a pretty calm kid. The only noteworthy thing Parler did was get an ice cream in October. Even his friends were pretty mild: Leeds was a nerd and fan of Star Wars. Jones would rather read, draw or protest. All in all, nothing to unusual.

 

The next day, John had been following the three teenagers as soon as they left school. he was starting to think it had been a waste of time. About an hour later, the two friends left Parker to go home. As the teenager continued to walk, John decided to follow him until he was home. Afterward, there was some other leads he wanted to check out.

For about 10 minutes, nothing happened. Then, the kid turned to look back, forcing John to hide. He waited for a second before resuming the tailing. But when he went back to the street, the kid had disappeared. Frowning slightly, John sped up to the next crossroad to see if he could find Parker. 

He couldn’t find him. 

He pressed his earpiece, opening the line. 

“Finch, I lost the kid.” 

“Pardon?”

“I lost the kid. I think he realized he was followed.” John went back on his steps and turned into an alleyway. 

“A teenager gave you the slip.” Finch commented, amused. 

John rolled his eyes and was going to reply when something fell in front of him. Or, well, rather when someone landed in front of him. Spider-Man straightened up, and stared at John. 

“Mr. Reese?” Finch asked, sounded a little bit confused by his silence. 

“Why are you following that man?” The superhero asked, clearly trying (and failing) to deepen his voice.

“I’m following this  _ kid _ because he might in danger.”

Dropping the pretended threatening stance, Spider-Man uttered in a higher voice, “In danger? From what?” 

John furrowed his brow. His voice sounded familiar even though it was slightly muffled by the mask. 

“Mr. Reese, you will have company soon.” Finch warned him. 

“Yes, he’s in danger, I can’t tell why or when but I know something is going to happen. Soon.” 

“Is that a threat?” Spider-Man asked, incredulous, his voice getting higher. He then cleared his voice, shuffling. His body expression showed he was embarrassed. The hero might be younger that John would have thought.

“Of course not,” John replied a bit annoyed. “I’m warning you so that you can stay on the lookout. Aren’t you a superhero?”

“Yes, I am,” the  _ kid  _ protested, “I don’t know you so why should I trust you.”

John was pretty sure the superhero was pouting, and wasn’t it adorable.

“Mr. Reese,” Finch suddenly called after a few minutes of silence, “he’s here.” 

John was going to ask “who”, damned if the kid was there but he heard the familiar sound of repulsors and he understood. Iron Man was coming. His arrival could confirm some of his suspicions.

“Mr. St- Iron Man! What are you doing here?” Spider-Man squeaked.

“Karen warned me about your little… gathering.” Iron Man replied matter-of-factly. Spider-Man gasped, sounding betrayed. The suit landed softly between the young superhero and John without making it obvious. Maybe Spider-Man would have taken offense if he realized Iron Man was trying to protect him. 

“Skedaddle, the adults need to talk.”

Iron Man’s statement confirmed one of John’s theories; Spider-Man was a kid.

When the yougn hero didn’t move, Iron Man - Tony Stark - sighed, lifting his faceplate up. 

“Now,” he added, looking tired, but with a bit of fondness behind his eyes. John was surprised to see this expression on the notorious billionaire slash superhero. He was still human after all. Not that it meant something now that the whole world knew aliens existed.

“Spider-Man…” Stark repeated in a parental tone. 

The hero huffed, and reluctantly obeyed. 

“Fine, but you’re gonna tell me everything next time.”

“Promise,” Stark said, indulging.

Spider-Man grumbled something John couldn’t hear before climbing the building on his right.

“Now, you.” Stark continued in threatening voice. “What do you want with Peter Parker?”

“I-”

“Mr. Reese,” Finch’s voice interrupted him, “let me speak with him.”

“Why?” John couldn’t resist asking.

Clearly, Stark thought he was speaking to him.

“Why? Are asking me why? I thought-” 

“I can reason with him,” Finch replied. 

“-stalking was a bad, bad thing, especially when you’re stalking a  _ fifteen-year-old  _ kid!” Stark continued, gesturing wildly.

“I sort of knew him. From before.” 

“And why are not defending yourselves? Right, because you’re actually a pervert-”

John whipped a hand up to stop Stark’s rant. Surprisingly, the man stopped. 

“I’m going to take out my phone,” John announced so that he wouldn’t be repulsor beamed. Stark looked at him with wariness, following his movements. John slowly put his hand inside his pocket to grab his phone. He put the phone on speaker, and aimed it at Stark. He saw the other man flinch even though he hid it pretty well. 

“Finch, you’re on speaker.”

“Mr. Stark, my name is Harold Finch, and I believe we are on the same side.”

“Finch,” Stark repeated a few times the name, probably trying to remembering something. His eyes lit up suddenly.

“I remember you! You were the one who created an AI to detect violent crimes, right?”

“That’s right Mr. Stark, I did create it.”

“And you also sold it to the government? Wrong move buddy.”

“Yes,” Finch answered, voice tight. “I now realize my mistake.”

“Yeah, especially since you’re supposed to be dead.” Stark finished, his lips pressed into a thin line.

“Rumors of my demise may have been exaggerated,” Finch said, with a lilt to his tone. 

The billionaire barked out a laugh, before his face looked serious again.

“So what is this then? I know you weren’t a bad person back then, just a little naive maybe.”

“Mr. Stark, my associate and I are what you would call vigilantes. We want the same thing as you. We try to help people the way the government isn’t interested in doing. We don’t mean any harm to your protégé.”

Unless he was the perpetrator, John completed in his head. It wouldn’t do good if Stark knew that so he stayed quiet and let the two geniuses talk.

“So it works?” Stark asked, looking quite impressed. 

“It does. And we saved a lot of lives since we started. We want to save Peter Parker’s life too.”

Stark furrowed his brow. 

“Do you know what’s going to happen?”

“No. That’s is why Mr. Reese,” John saluted Stark. “my associate, was… how did you put it,  _ stalking  _ young Mr. Parker.”

“Yeah, don’t worry about it now. I can take it from here then,” the engineer said. “You don’t have to take care of this.”

Finch didn’t answer right away. A few seconds passed before he spoke up again.

“If you could keep in touch, that would be appreciated.”

Stark made a thoughtful noise, before his faceplate closed and the suit took off in the sky, red and gold glinting under the sun’s light.

“You think he’ll do it?” John asked, curiously. 

“Perhaps.” Finch paused. “We should still keep an eye on  Mr. Parker. In case something happens and Stark isn’t here to help him.” 

John smiled. 

“Alright. I’m bringing take out tonight.”

Finch sounded confused. 

“Why?”

“You didn’t tell me you knew Stark. Now I want to know.”

Finch huffed, and closed the line without answering. 


End file.
